DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. -- A tourist who was believed to have drowned in Daytona Beach was found alive Tuesday in North Carolina almost 20 years after he faked his death, officials told WKMG-TV.

Bennie Harden Wint, 49, of South Carolina, vanished in the ocean in 1989 shortly after getting engaged. His fiancee was on the beach when he swam offshore and did not reappear.

A search using helicopters and jet skis failed to locate Wint, who authorities believe swam north or south then got out of the ocean.

On Saturday, Weaverville, N.C., trooper Sgt. Stacy Wyatt pulled over a vehicle because of malfunctioning license plate lights. The driver said his name was James Sweet, but when Wyatt ran the name through official databases, he was unable to find any information.

"I found it suspicious and believed it to be a false name," Wyatt told CNN.

Wyatt arrested the man on suspicion of driving without a license and giving false information, both misdemeanor offenses, and booked him under the name "John Doe."

But "John Doe" finally opened up to Wyatt, admitting that he was really Bennie Wint and that he had been on the run since 1989.

A Volusia County lifeguard said he remembers the incident and always thought it was suspicious because no one actually saw Wint go under the water.

Scott Petersohn with the Volusia County Beach Patrol also said the incident likely affected other lifeguards on duty that day.

"It's always in the back of your mind, you know, 'Did I miss somebody?' Apparently not, and that's the bad part of this. For 20 years, this guard has been thinking he might have missed something when it turns out this was some kind of hoax. That's a crummy thing to do," Petersohn said.

Officials said they believe Wint faked his death to avoid marrying his fiancée. It is not known if his former fiancée, who had returned to South Carolina, has been made aware that he is alive.

Wint has been released on bond.